HIV Positive Summits Mount Everest: A Tale Of Courage And Determination

Birendra Shandilya , Wepen, June 18, 2019: Gopal Shreshta’s life as well as his ascent of Everest, both have been full of challenges. Undeterred, the man from Nepal kept fighting to reach the pinnacle of both. On May 22, 2019 at 8 am Shreshta became the first HIV infected to summit the highest peak of the world.

Gopal Shreshta, former national footballer of Nepal is a man with a mission. Why Everest? “I wanted to send the message to society that HIV positives are in no way weak mentally or physically. We too can do it. It was also to send a message to the government of Nepal to give opportunities to HIV infected” stated Shreshta talking to wePen.

The 56 year old who hails from Ratnachowk, Pokhara, Nepal had contracted HIV during adolescence. “I was a national football player then. I used to take drugs and play. I was under the misconception that my game, under the influence of drugs was more focused. But soon my dream of a career in football was shattered. I was sharing needles and soon I contracted the dreaded disease” narrated Shreshta.

Shreshta however did not give up on life, the fighter in him did not allow. “I came out in the open in 2003 that I was HIV affected. Initially it was very difficult. The social stigma was unbearable but slowly matters settled down. I then decided that I would summit Mount Everest and prove to the world that disease is not a deterrent if one has the determination” stated the mountaineer.

Shreshta was turned down by the Nepal Parvat Aarohan Sangh (mountaineering institute) when he had applied for the mountaineering course in 2013 and 2014. “They said the course is not for laymen but for mountaineering experts, mainly the Sherpas. In the application I had disclosed that I was HIV infected. I feel it could have been because of this. They did not want to deal with any complications owing to my medical condition” alleged Shreshta.

Not giving up, Shreshta self trained and sought help from friends. In 2013 October he did a solo trek of the Thorungla Pass (5416m) but made lots of mountaineer friends enroute.

In October 2014 he successfully summited Island peak (6189 m) in Nepal. Shreshta then was ready for Everest.

In 2015 Shreshta made his first attempt. He was caught in the mega avalanche that year. He was rescued and survived. However 5 of his friends lost their lives.

In 2016 Shreshta was to climbing. In February that year he successfully summited Khang Karpo (6704m) peak in Nepal. It was then that he decided that he was ready for the second attempt on Mount Everest.

There was hardly any support from the Nepal Government. “I had to start a fund raiser. My friends, family, NGOs helped. I was back in Everest once again” stated Shreshta.

However as luck would have it, this time too it was not a bed of roses. “On my way back from camp 3 to camp 2 while acclimatizing, I fell and had a knee injury. I was advised to return home. I had made up my mind that I would make it this time, come what may. I returned to base camp and rested for 9 days and started all over again” stated Shreshta.

The summiting was full of challenges including the traffic jam. “My oxygen regulator was malfunctioning. The elastic of my goggles had gone loose. There was constant vapour on the goggles because of this which was turning into icicles and I had difficulty seeing. I had to open my goggles a number of times to see and then I started getting snow blind. On my way back I was loosing my eye rapidly. Had it not been for my guide Da Kipa Sherpa I would not have made it back” stated Shreshta.

On reaching base camp he was admitted at the hospital at Lukla. He had completely lost his vision. From Lukla he was shifted to a hospital in Kathmandu. Post treatment after nearly 72 hours his vision slowly returned.

His wife Meena Kumari Shreshta has been a constant support. The couple is on a visit to Darjeeling. “I’m here to spend quiet time with my family and to recoup” he added.

“Dream without drugs” is Shreshta’s message to the youth. “Drugs shatter dreams. Drugs end life. Youths have to realize that drugs do not give wings to dreams” stated Shreshta.